Thomas Moran: The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

In 1871, Thomas Moran accompanied a survey party in Montana’s Yellowstone region for the United States Geological Survey. The group traveled through the region on horseback, and Moran often had only a brief period of time to capture his impressions in a quick pencil sketch. Upon returning to camp, he would add a small amount of color to his sketches. Moran’s watercolours and paintings were instrumental in convincing Congress to establish Yellowstone as the first national park of the United States in 1872. Thirty years after his first trip to Yellowstone, Moran completed this painting, which, with dimensions of roughly eight by fourteen feet, was among the grandest works of his career. Reproduced here as a 1,000-piece puzzle, it may be turn out to be one of your grandest puzzling accomplishments.